Chapter 3 Forced to Kneel

Victoria hurriedly straightened her hair and smoothed out her dress before turning to glare at me viciously.

"You actually brought your bastard here and expect us to believe he's a Sinclair? Just wait until Elliot gets here. I'm going to make you and that little bastard kneel and apologize."

I didn't even flinch as I held Theo in my arms. Instead, I calmly stood on the second floor and looked down through the railing.

Elliot, who was dressed in a custom-tailored suit, certainly looked like a successful businessman. Still, he was nothing compared to Julian.

Downstairs, Elliot frowned. "Where is she?"

"Up there!" Victoria pointed at us. "Elliot, look. That little bastard doesn't look anything like you. Chloe is a liar."

Elliot looked up at me. For a brief moment, surprise flashed across his face. Then, it turned into contempt and disdain.

"Chloe, you've really lost all sense of shame. To think you'd make up a lie like this just to get my attention. I don't mind you becoming my mistress, but that kid has to go. I don't need people talking."

Victoria's expression immediately darkened. "Elliot, what is that supposed to mean?"

Elliot pulled her into his arms with a smarmy grin on his lips. "Relax, Vicky. I'm joking. I just want her to give up. The only person who deserves to be my wife is you."

I sneered inwardly as I watched them parade away.

One was the daughter of a man who had married into the Hart family. The other belonged to a minor Sinclair branch. Somehow, they both acted like they owned the place. They truly deserved each other.

Evelyn looked at me mockingly. "See that? The Sinclair family is way out of your league."

I ignored her as I lowered my head and called the police. "I'd like to report a theft. Someone stole my family heirloom. It's an emerald pendant worth 100 million."

No one had expected me to call the police. Every head turned toward me.

Nicholas recovered first. He slapped the phone from my hand and roared, "So, you've decided to extort us for money when you couldn't fool us?"

I had thought that he still cared about me a little, at least for my mother's sake. I had been wrong. He really had chosen the scheming maid and her daughter over me.

I stared straight at him and enunciated clearly, "Hand over the emerald pendant my mother left me."

Nicholas immediately started stammering, "W-What jade pendant? Your mother never left you anything. Everything the Hart family owns has nothing to do with you anymore.

"You're the one who's been out there doing disgraceful things and dragging the Hart family name through the mud."

The more he spoke, the more agitated he became. "It's good that you came back today. Sign the disownment agreement right now."

With that, he slapped the document across my face. Theo jumped in fright and burst into tears.

Nicholas looked at him with disgust. "Shut him up. He's driving me crazy."

That was the last straw. He wanted to sever our relationship? Fine with me. I didn't even hesitate to scrawl my signature over the damned papers.

"Nicholas, remember. You chose this."

Victoria practically bounced with excitement. "Hmph! Let's see what right you have now to compete with me for shares in Hart Group. I'm the only heiress to the company now."

I laughed coldly to myself. So, that was her real goal.

Just then, my eyes landed on an exquisite box sitting on the engagement gift table in the hall.

I rushed over and threw it open. Sure enough, my mother's emerald pendant was staring right back at me.

Victoria immediately snatched it away. "This is part of the Hart family's engagement gift to me. If it belongs to the Hart family, then that means it belongs to me."

Using my mother's keepsake as an engagement gift? How dare they?

I pointed at the pendant. "My mother's name is engraved on it."

Victoria couldn't have cared less. "So what? Your mother married into the Hart family. That makes it ours. And now it's mine."

My whole body trembled with anger.

Just as I stepped forward to take it back, Elliot shoved me to the floor.

He clicked his tongue and let out a cold snort. "What, you still think you're the Hart family's heiress? You've been gone so long that everyone assumed you were dead in a ditch somewhere. Be smart and get on your knees."

Victoria glanced down at me smugly. "Elliot, I want both her and her bastard on their knees. I want that little bastard to remember for the rest of his life exactly how lowly he is."

A chill ran through me.

I immediately shouted, "Even Edward Sinclair would greet Theo with respect. What makes you think you can—"

Before I could finish, Elliot slapped me across the face. "And who gave you permission to say my father's name?"

I opened my mouth to argue, but another slap crashed into my cheek.

"How dare you talk back at me!"

Theo promptly burst into tears. He ran at Elliot, pounding his tiny fists against him. "My daddy won't let you get away with this!"

Elliot showed no mercy as he sent Theo flying a few feet across the floor with just a kick. "You think you can pretend to be my son? Look at yourself."

When I saw Theo crying in pain, I immediately scrambled over and wrapped him tightly in my arms.

Victoria waved a hand.

Several bodyguards immediately surrounded us, pinning down our shoulders and forcing us onto our knees as they pulled our heads up by our hair.

A vicious smile spread across her face.

"I want them on their knees and begging for my forgiveness. What are you waiting for? Make them grovel before me!"

Just then, Julian's furious roar thundered in from outside. "You've got some nerve. Who gave you the right to force them to their knees?"

Behind him stood several members of the Sinclair family, their faces pale with terror.